It's a Wonderful Life, Seth Cohen
by FleurHartz
Summary: Have you ever seen It's a Wonderful Life? Well, this is how it's done in the O.C., Seth Cohen style. See how everyone would have turned out without him. Please RR! (SS, RM pairings)
1. Seth Cohen & the No Good, Very Bad Day

A/N- In honor of Christmas (or Chrismukkah), I here present an ode to both my favorite movie that I watch every Christmas Eve, "It's a Wonderful Life" and the best show on television, the O.C. For the sake of the story, now that it's like next Christmas, Seth and Summer have been dating since last February-ish, and Ryan and Marissa are of course still together. Without further ado…  
  
~IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE, SETH COHEN~  
  
  
  
"Good morning everyone! Merry Chrismukkah Eve!" Seth practically bounded down the stairs.  
  
  
  
"Whoa, that's a lot of holiday cheer at seven o'clock in the morning." Ryan sighed, eating his cereal.  
  
  
  
"I know, my dear brother, I am very full of cheer this morning. The sun is out, it's not even close to snowing, and everything is right with the world. It's Chrismukkah in Newport, baby-well, almost."  
  
  
  
Kirsten and Sandy entered the kitchen, looking a little haggard.  
  
  
  
"Mother, may I say that it totally absolutely sucks that your evil Grinch of a father is making you go on a business trip on Chrismukkah Eve!"  
  
  
  
"I told you, Seth, I'll be back tomorrow morning. You guys will just have to wait a little bit on the gift-wrapping frenzy."  
  
  
  
"All right, all right. I still say that's pretty Scroogey, but whatever. At least I still have dad and Ryan."  
  
  
  
"Actually, I'm going over to Marissa's. She wanted to do our gift-exchange tonight."  
  
  
  
"All right, well, at least I still have dad."  
  
  
  
"That's right, we'll have a real father-son bonding night."  
  
  
  
"Sounds groovy."  
  
  
  
"What about Summer? When are you going to give her your "awesome" gift?" Ryan asked.  
  
  
  
"First of all, Ryan, the air quotes were NOT necessary. Secondly, I'm going over there right now. I'll be back in like an hour or so."  
  
  
  
"So things are going pretty well with Summer?" Kirsten asked.  
  
  
  
"No, mom, we've been dating ten months because she makes me absolutely miserable."   
  
  
  
"Has it been ten months? Oh, honey, your first long-term relationship, I'm so proud."  
  
  
  
"I guess we are in a real relationship. I never really thought about it." Seth looked a little flustered.  
  
  
  
"I can't wait until the first Cohen grandchildren." Sandy teased, drinking his coffee.  
  
  
  
"Hey, dial it down, dad! We're just dating…you know, a fun, casual, unserious kinda thing!"  
  
  
  
"You don't date someone for that long you're not serious about."  
  
  
  
"Oh, what do you know, Ryan? You're the person who said "thank you" when Marissa said she loved you-you don't know any more about relationships than I do!!" Seth was now completely freaking out.  
  
  
  
"Seth, chill out. What's the big deal? Real relationships are nice." Ryan shrugged.  
  
  
  
"We're not in a relationship!!!" Seth shouted, looking completely unhinged.  
  
  
  
"All right, honey, whatever you say. Deep breaths. Okay, I've got to catch my plane, I'm sure the LAX is going to be totally insane so I have to leave early. And I have to drop off Ryan's thing at Child's Services."  
  
  
  
"Seth, couldn't you do that while you're out?"  
  
  
  
"Huh?" Seth looked up from his reverie.   
  
  
  
"Ryan's form…drop it off at Child's Services."  
  
  
  
"What form?" Ryan looked up, interested.  
  
  
  
"It's basically…well, kind of a renewal of our "Ryan Contract" to put it in layman's terms. All it's saying is that everything's going great and we want to keep you on for another year. But if we don't turn it in by the end of the year, they can revoke our right to keep you. Just a sort of check up on the family's responsibility, I guess." Sandy explained, passing Seth the envelope.  
  
  
  
"All right, I'll take care of it." Seth said, still looking distracted.  
  
  
  
"Bye, honey." Kirsten kissed Seth on the head as he left.  
  
  
  
"Yeah, bye…everyone." Seth wandered out the door in a bit of a daze, wind whistling into the house before he slammed the door.  
  
~*~  
  
  
  
Seth unlocked the Range Rover, putting the envelope on top of the car as he picked up Summer's present to put in the back.   
  
  
  
"A real relationship? I never even had a fake relationship." He said aloud to himself, closing the car door and getting in.  
  
  
  
He shakingly turned the ignition and drove off quickly to Summer's, deciding he'd go by Child's Services after the very brief, very non-committal present-giving.  
  
~*~  
  
  
  
He rung the doorbell at Summer's house, shifting his weight nervously from one foot to the other and tugging at his collar. Suddenly, he felt strangely like he was choking.  
  
  
  
Summer opened the door, looking gorgeous as always in a dark red sweater and jeans.  
  
  
  
"Cohen! What a nice surprise! Merry Christmas Eve!" She kissed his cheek, but Seth pulled back slightly.  
  
  
  
"Oh, sorry, Chrismukkah Eve. My mistake." She grinned.  
  
  
  
Seth still didn't say anything. Summer looked at him, her smile faltering slightly.  
  
  
  
"Are you…okay?"   
  
  
  
"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. Let's get this present thing over with."   
  
  
  
Summer looked even more confused.  
  
  
  
"Okay, I guess we should get it "over with." She said, looking a little hurt as they both walked inside her huge house.  
  
  
  
"Well, your present's in my room." Summer explained.  
  
  
  
"Okay…are you going to go get it?" Seth raised his eyebrows.  
  
  
  
"Or…we could both go. Cohen, what is up with you today?"  
  
  
  
"Maybe I don't want to go up to your room. Maybe that makes me uncomfortable."  
  
  
  
"Maybe you've been up there forty billion times and judging from our activities in that very room, you have no reason to feel uncomfortable." Summer said, getting angrier.  
  
  
  
"Well, excuse me for expressing my feelings."   
  
  
  
"Cohen, seriously, are you high?" Summer threw her hands up in frustration.  
  
  
  
"Now, I am not high, Summer Roberts, I am just wondering if we're moving a little fast here in our little dating thing."  
  
  
  
"Our little dating thing? We've been together for ten months!" Summer yelled.  
  
  
  
"Stop yelling at me!"  
  
  
  
"I think I'm required to yell at you, you idiot! I have no clue why you're acting this way, but if this is how you feel about me, maybe we are making a mistake. I thought this was the greatest relationship I'd ever been in…and now that I know this is how you feel…just…just get out of here. I can't talk to you right now. Merry Christmas, Cohen." Summer said bitingly, storming up the stairs.  
  
  
  
"CHRISMUKKAH!" Seth yelled after her.  
  
  
  
There was no answer.  
  
~*~  
  
  
  
Seth got in the car, chucking Summer's present in the back seat, and putting his head on the steering wheel. What the hell was his problem? Why, why, why didn't he ever think before he said things? He supposed he could go in and apologize, but Summer was too mad to talk to him right now. The coolest, hottest, funniest girlfriend in the world, and he'd just blown it. What a great beginning to the eve of Chrismukkah.  
  
  
  
He decided to just go home and sit in his room where he could just sit quietly and not offend anyone. But first, he had to go to Child's Services.  
  
~*~  
  
  
  
Seth arrived there, completely frazzled and really wanting to go home. He looked in the seat next to him for the envelope. It wasn't there.  
  
  
  
Seth felt his heart drop into his chest. No, no, NO. It was here somewhere. He opened the glove compartment, looked in the back seat, looked under every place he could fit…it was nowhere. NOOOO. This was not possible. Child's Services closed today, there was no other day to turn it in before they reopened January 5th. The only part of the place still opened was a window to turn in any forms with a tired looking old lady.  
  
  
  
Seth raced up to the window as fast as he could. He banged on the window with such intensity that the lady looked absolutely furious when she looked up at him finally.  
  
  
  
"Can I help you?"  
  
  
  
"I'm supposed to turn in a form for Ryan Atwood, from the Cohen family, we just assumed responsibility for him last year and I'm supposed to turn in some form…" Seth was now completely flipping out for the third time that day.  
  
  
  
"Oh, yes. Those forms."  
  
  
  
"Thank God! You have more?"  
  
  
  
"No. We close in an hour." The lady shut her window.  
  
  
  
Seth leaned up against the window, his eyes burning slightly with frustration. This was awful. When was the last time he could remember having it?  
  
  
  
Suddenly, a horrible, horrible memory presented itself. The last time he'd had it…he was putting it on top of the car…but he had never put it back in the car.  
  
  
  
Seth almost started crying. He had driven off with the envelope on top of the car. He drove home as quickly as he could, gripping the wheel so tightly his knuckles were white.  
  
  
  
He reached their house, and began a frantic search over the entire front yard, the Cooper's front yard, the house next to his on the other side, the gutter, every single place he could think of. It was gone. It was a very windy day, and it was gone.  
  
~*~  
  
  
  
"Hey, Seth. You're back soon. Did Summer like her gift? Did everything get dropped off okay?" Sandy looked up from the paper, doing the crossword by himself.  
  
  
  
"Dad, I can't find Ryan's form. I looked everywhere and I can't find it." Seth said, his voice cracking in panic.  
  
  
  
"What?" Sandy set down the paper.   
  
  
  
"I lost it. They don't have anymore. I am so sorry."  
  
  
  
"Seth, what do you mean you lost it? You can't have lost it!"  
  
  
  
"Well…I did."  
  
  
  
"Do you realize what this means? Do you realize they could take Ryan away from us? That they probably will take Ryan away from us?" Sandy stood up, doing what he rarely did and yelling at Seth.  
  
  
  
Ryan walked in at that moment, putting on his tie and jacket for his lunch with Marissa.  
  
  
  
"Whoa…what?" Ryan looked confused and a little terrified as he overhead Sandy's last words.  
  
  
  
"Ryan, not now!" Sandy couldn't seem to stop yelling.   
  
  
  
"Dude, you turned in the form, right?" Ryan looked even more panicked.  
  
  
  
"No, I am so sorry. I can't find it."  
  
  
  
"You can't FIND it? What the hell does that mean? Go get another!"  
  
  
  
"They…don't have anymore." Seth said weakly.  
  
  
  
"So that's how much you care about me being here, Seth? So much that you just LOSE the only thing that's going to keep me here?" Ryan grabbed Seth by the shoulders, his old Chino side coming out rapidly.  
  
  
  
"Ryan, calm down!"  
  
  
  
"I'm not going to CALM DOWN! If they make me leave, where am I supposed to go? What am I going to tell Marissa? I can't believe you, Seth!"  
  
  
  
"Ryan, just-"  
  
  
  
"I hope you're happy, man. You just ruined my life. But it doesn't seem like that matters to you at all." Ryan said spitefully, in a very rare show of emotion and stormed out the front door.  
  
  
  
Seth and Sandy stood in the kitchen, Sandy practically shaking he was so mad and Seth seriously about to cry.  
  
  
  
"Dad, I-"  
  
  
  
"Just go upstairs, Seth. I'm going to have to figure out what to do. If there's anything we can even do."  
  
~*~  
  
  
  
Seth flopped onto his bed, exhaling deeply. Why couldn't he do anything right? Why did he have to screw up everything?  
  
  
  
After a long while of sitting on his bed with his arms over his face, it had gone to twilight outside and his bedroom door opened suddenly.  
  
  
  
It was Marissa, looking royally pissed off.  
  
  
  
"Hey…Marissa." Seth sat up.  
  
  
  
"Seth Cohen. You are not exactly my favorite person today." Marissa sounded like she was barely containing herself.  
  
  
  
"Why is that?" He asked innocently.  
  
  
  
"Hmm, well, let's see," she said with extreme sarcasm, "First Summer calls me this morning sobbing hysterically and tells me all about your little "gift" this morning. That made me pretty pissed off right there. THEN Ryan comes over practically in tears, which believe me, is a very, very rare occurrence, and tells me all about your little "situation" with Child's Services. You make my best friend cry and…AND are possibly are taking my boyfriend away from Newport?" Marissa was clenching her fists at her side as she advanced towards the bed.  
  
  
  
Seth stood up.  
  
  
  
"Come on, Marissa, just hear me out-"  
  
  
  
"I don't want to hear one of your stupid rambling anecdotes that Summer says you always use to apologize! Unlike her, I don't think they're cute! I don't want to hear your explanations, I just came here to do this, you son of a bitch."  
  
  
  
Marissa slapped him then, so hard that one of her rings cut his cheek. He put his hand up, feeling blood.  
  
  
  
"Have a great holiday, Seth. Completely alone." She practically spat, slamming his door behind her.  
  
~*~  
  
  
  
Seth leaned against the wall, his eyes burning almost painfully as he still didn't start crying. All the horrible events of the day thus far kept piling up on him. He had ruined Summer's Chrismukkah. He might have lost Ryan forever. Marissa hated him. His father hated him. And all of this was due to his stupid, STUPID mistakes.  
  
  
  
"Maybe it'd just be better if I'd never been born." Seth said melodramatically, closing his eyes.  
  
  
  
Suddenly, the window to his room flew open, and a cold gust of wind knocked practically everything over.  
  
  
  
"Even the weather hates me." Seth said under his breath, going to close the window.  
  
  
  
He turned around, and jumped.  
  
  
  
A rather short man with bottle glasses and a very ugly plaid shirt was standing in his room, smiling. The biggest problem that immediately came to mind was the fact that Seth had absolutely NO idea who he was.  
  
  
  
"Who are you?" Seth said, terrified.  
  
  
  
"Hello, Seth Cohen."  
  
  
  
"You know my name?"  
  
  
  
"I know a lot about you. I know you're seventeen years old, your parents are Seth and Kirsten Cohen, you're adopted brother is Ryan Atwood, you're dating Summer Roberts, and they all love you very much but today you pretty much screwed all that up. Am I right so far?"  
  
  
  
"Strangely and frighteningly yes." Seth looked at the man in horror.  
  
  
  
"And I heard you just say that you think they'd all be better off if you'd never been born."  
  
  
  
"Well…probably." Seth said moodily.  
  
  
  
"Good. Because you're about to find out."  
  
  
  
Seth laughed.  
  
  
  
"Oh, okay, what are you like a wizard or something?"  
  
  
  
"Or something. Your guardian angel to be exact."  
  
  
  
"Right." Seth rolled his eyes.  
  
  
  
Suddenly, Seth and the man were not in his house at all but on the Newport beach.  
  
  
  
"Whoa, dude, what the-"  
  
  
  
"I figured this would be a good place to start. You got your wish, Seth Cohen. You've never been born."  
  
~*~  
  
A/N- The Conclusion to come tonight! Please leave a review! 


	2. You Really Have Had a Wonderful Life

A/N- Thanks for the reviews guys! Here's the end!  
  
IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE, SETH COHEN  
  
THE CONCLUSION  
  
~*~  
  
"I've never been born?"   
  
  
  
"That's right."  
  
  
  
"How are you doing this? Who are you?"  
  
  
  
"I told you, Seth. I'm your guardian angel. I thought you were supposed to be smart."  
  
  
  
"So why exactly are we on the Newport beach?"  
  
  
  
"To show the lives of the people you love…the people who have never even heard the name Seth Cohen."  
  
  
  
"Did I  
  
have some crack cocaine today?" Seth smiled, running a hand through his curly dark hair.  
  
  
  
"Uh…I don't think so." The angel looked confused.  
  
  
  
"Okay, whatever, I'll play. What's your name, guardian angel?" Seth said sardonically.  
  
  
  
"My name is Maxwell, AS2."  
  
  
  
"AS2?"  
  
  
  
"Angel, Second Class."  
  
  
  
"Oh, naturally. You look about like the guardian angel I'd get. And may I ask what prevents you from being a primo first class angel?" Seth shook his head.  
  
  
  
"Haven't got my wings yet. But if this goes well…" Maxwell shrugged.  
  
  
  
"This is insane. This can't be happening."  
  
  
  
"Your cheek's not bleeding anymore. And check your pocket."  
  
  
  
Seth did, then looked up panicked.  
  
  
  
"Where's Summer's present? I cannot have lost something else!"  
  
  
  
"You didn't lose it, Seth. You never bought it for her. Marissa never slapped you. None of the memories you have ever happened. You were never born."  
  
  
  
Seth sighed heavily.  
  
  
  
"All right, so where's our first stop?"  
  
  
  
"Marissa Cooper's."  
  
  
  
"Marissa's? Why would we go there?"  
  
  
  
"You're not too quick, Seth."  
  
  
  
"Geez, enough jabs at my intelligence. I've had a pretty hard day."  
  
  
  
"Believe me, Seth, you don't know how bad it's going to get. Let's get going."  
  
~*~  
  
  
  
"Here we are."  
  
  
  
"Marissa doesn't live here. This is some crappy apartment."  
  
  
  
"Yes, she does live here. And wait until you see her...let's just say you'll be liking Luke even less."  
  
  
  
"Oh please, now I know you're lying. She broke up with Luke."  
  
  
  
"No, she didn't. If you had never been born, Ryan never would have come to live with your parents. You persuaded them to keep him. He was just one more messed up kid whose file passed through your dad's desk. Marissa never broke up with Luke."  
  
  
  
Seth was starting to get creeped out. He walked to the door, knocking tentatively.  
  
  
  
A very pregnant Marissa opened the door.  
  
  
  
"Marissa…oh, wow, you're-"  
  
  
  
Marissa looked up at him, her eyes bloodshot and a cigarette hanging from her thin fingers.   
  
  
  
"Who the hell are you? How do you know my name?" She said, her voice slurred slightly.  
  
  
  
"I'm Seth Cohen. You've gone to school with me practically my entire life."  
  
  
  
"I've never seen you before. Leave me alone." Marissa took a drag from the cigarette, her breath heavy with alcohol.  
  
  
  
"Should you really be doing that…with the baby?"  
  
  
  
"Don't tell me how to live my life! I don't even know you!" She stumbled towards him drunkenly.  
  
  
  
"Marissa…you were so happy before. With Ryan."  
  
  
  
"Who?" Marissa looked at him angrily.  
  
  
  
"Where's Luke?"  
  
  
  
"You know Luke?"  
  
  
  
"Yes, sadly."  
  
  
  
"I don't know…probably screwing some cheerleader. He got me pregnant and broke up with me the day he found out. My mom wanted me to get an abortion. I dropped out of school once my pregnancy started to show. I had to get out of there…this was the only apartment I could afford. My dad lost his job and- wait! Why am I telling you this? I don't know you!"  
  
  
  
"Marissa, please, this isn't really you. Please say this really isn't you."  
  
  
  
"It's me, baby. Why do you care? I've never seen you before in my life, get the hell away. Unless you want to stay for awhile…" Marissa ran her skinny hand down the front of his shirt, trying to sound seductive but stinking of alcohol.  
  
  
  
"What are you doing?"  
  
  
  
"Got to pay for this place somehow." She leaned forward toward his mouth, and Seth almost passed out from the stench.  
  
  
  
"No, Marissa, this isn't happening."  
  
  
  
"Whatever, get out of here." She pushed him away, and Seth saw slits up and down her wrists.  
  
  
  
"Did you…did you try to kill yourself?"  
  
  
  
Marissa looked down at her wrists, and then smiled sadly.  
  
  
  
"Look at my life, whoever you are. Why wouldn't I want to kill myself?"  
  
  
  
"I…I gotta go." Seth practically ran away, terrified.  
  
  
  
Maxwell was waiting for him as he heard Marissa's door close behind him.   
  
  
  
"Pretty sad scene, huh, Mr. Cohen?"  
  
  
  
"Call me Seth. Or you know what, call me whatever you want, just get me out of this insane Twilight Zone Christmas Special!"  
  
  
  
"But this is what you wanted."  
  
  
  
"I didn't want…that." Seth pointed at Marissa's door.  
  
  
  
"That's only the beginning, Seth."  
  
  
  
Seth sighed.  
  
  
  
"Where to next, Yoda?"  
  
  
  
"The Cohen's house."  
  
  
  
"Don't you mean my house?"  
  
  
  
"No. Your parents never had children."  
  
  
  
"What?"  
  
  
  
"Wait and see."  
  
~*~  
  
  
  
"At least my house is the same." Seth looked up at the large white house he'd spent his entire childhood and high school years growing up in.  
  
  
  
Maxwell gave him look.  
  
  
  
"Oh, sorry, not MY house." Seth said sarcastically.  
  
  
  
Seth went to open the front door. It was locked. Sighing, he rang the doorbell. His father answered, except his father was overweight and wearing a tired, haggard expression.  
  
  
  
"Look if you're selling something, I'm not interested."  
  
  
  
"Dad?"  
  
  
  
"Sorry kid, no idea who you are."  
  
  
  
Seth was getting panicked.  
  
  
  
"Dad…please. It's me, Seth!"  
  
  
  
"And I should know you why?"  
  
  
  
"Because I'm your son! Your only kid!"  
  
  
  
"Get out of here, buddy. Go home to your family, it's Christmas Eve."  
  
  
  
"Chrismukkah." Seth couldn't resist.  
  
  
  
"I'm sorry, what?"  
  
  
  
"Oh, right, you've never heard the super holiday. Never mind. Where's mom?"  
  
  
  
"I don't know where your mom is. Do you want me to call someone?"  
  
  
  
"Right, sorry, where's Kirsten Cohen?"  
  
  
  
"Like I should know? She's never home."  
  
  
  
"Why not?"  
  
  
  
"How should I know? I don't care. I'd probably divorce her if I had enough money." Sandy laughed.  
  
  
  
"Dad, don't say that." Seth said, his voice choking in his throat. This was awful.  
  
  
  
"Look, kid, I don't know what the trendy Newport drug is at the moment, but I think you've had a little too much."  
  
  
  
Suddenly, Kirsten pulled up in the driveway. She got out of the car, wearing sunglasses and stilettos and talking on her cell phone. She hung up and looked at Seth in confusion.  
  
  
  
"Who's he?" She asked, looking at Sandy with a bored expression.  
  
  
  
"No clue. He says we're his parents."  
  
  
  
"Whatever he's smoking, get me some." Kirsten pushed her sunglasses into her hair, rolling her eyes.  
  
  
  
"I see you're full of holiday cheer." Sandy looked at her as she lit a cigarette.  
  
  
  
"Oh blow me, Sandy."  
  
  
  
"I thought Jimmy was the only one who got that kind of treatment." Sandy fired back.  
  
  
  
"It's not my fault you're an impotent loser, honey." Kirsten said, smiling sarcastically.  
  
  
  
"Why do you even come home at all?"  
  
  
  
"Just asking myself the same question." Kirsten threw the cigarette butt on Sandy's shoes, walking in the house and slamming the door.  
  
  
  
Sandy noticed that Seth was still standing there.  
  
  
  
"Didn't you hear me before? Go…away." Sandy spoke slowly as if talking to a very small child.  
  
  
  
Seth swallowed a huge lump in his throat. These weren't his parents.  
  
This couldn't be happening. They loved each other, they'd always loved each other. He blinked hard, turning to see Maxwell standing there with a sympathetic expression.  
  
  
  
"Don't look at me like that, you maniac! I can't take this…get me out of here! I want to see Summer! I want to see Ryan!" Seth put the heel of his hands over his eyes, trying to ignore the monster headache that was building from still not crying.  
  
  
  
"You're not ready to see Ryan yet. And I don't think Summer will make you feel much better either."  
  
  
  
"I want to see her! Why won't you show me my girlfriend and my best friend?"  
  
  
  
"Seth, they're NOT your girlfriend or your best friend, how many times do I have to tell you?"  
  
  
  
"Shut up!"   
  
  
  
"Whatever you say. We'll go see Summer, and Ryan after that. But I have to warn you-"  
  
  
  
"SHUT UP!"  
  
  
  
Maxwell didn't say another word until they arrived at Holly's beachhouse.  
  
~*~  
  
  
  
"Why are we at Holly's? I want to see Summer."  
  
  
  
"She's in there." Maxwell pushed him through the door.  
  
  
  
Seth looked around, and saw so many of the superficial, popular jerks he'd grown up with his entire life. He didn't see Summer. He looked all around the first floor, and then taking a deep breath, headed up the stairs.  
  
  
  
He opened the first door he came to, and his eyes widened in horror. Summer was making out with Luke in her bra and shorts, and Luke was shirtless and starting to unhook her bra.  
  
  
  
"Get off of her!" Seth yelled.  
  
  
  
They jumped apart with a start, looking up at him curiously.   
  
  
  
"Who are you? Some new kid?" Luke asked, not the least bit embarrassed.  
  
  
  
"Some new 'freak'." Summer giggled.  
  
  
  
"Summer, it's me. It's Seth. Please…please you have to remember me. I've been in love with you my whole life, we've been dating almost this entire year." Seth stepped into the room, looking at her desperately.  
  
  
  
"Ew! Like I'd ever date someone like you! Why don't you shut the door and go back to whatever sad activity you pursue on a Friday night, instead of crashing parties where you don't belong, you deluded loser." Summer said patronizingly, rolling her eyes.  
  
  
  
"You're…you're with Luke?"  
  
  
  
"Dude, we don't even know who you are! Get out of here!" Luke looked at him with a fed up expression.  
  
  
  
"But Marissa…she's pregnant with your kid, Luke. And she's your best friend, Summer." Seth looked at them in shock.  
  
  
  
"Marissa Cooper? The pregnant drop-out drug addict? Her big scandal is so last season. No one even talks about her anymore." Summer looked at him without a trace of guilt.  
  
  
  
"Please, like I want to throw away my football scholarship for some stupid slut I knocked up. I've got to keep myself entertained, buddy." Luke motioned toward Summer with a very annoying smile full of innuendo.  
  
  
  
"Summer, you can't do this. You can't honestly say you have no idea who I am. Not after everything…you have to remember. I wish I was a mermaid? Tijuana? Thanksgiving? The Wonder Woman costume? Our first date on Valentine's Day where-"  
  
  
  
"Look, loser," Summer stood up, walking over to him, "Why don't you finish shrooming and let us get back to what we were doing? Does that sound good? Okay, grrreat." She pushed him out the door, closing it behind him.  
  
  
  
"Ew! Random!" Seth heard her giggle through the door.  
  
  
  
"Where were we?" Luke asked her, and Seth practically ran away.  
  
  
  
Maxwell was sitting on Holly's front porch, waiting for him.  
  
  
  
"I know this is hard, Seth. But do you really think without you Summer would have ever changed? She'd still be the popular, beautiful Newport bitch she was before she met you. She'd have no reason to try to be better, with no Marissa, no you. What's stopping her?"  
  
  
  
"She's not like that." Seth said, shaking his head.  
  
  
  
"The Summer who was Seth Cohen's girlfriend wasn't like that. That's not the girl you remember."  
  
  
  
"No kidding." Seth said, kicking the sand desolately.  
  
  
  
"We only have one more stop."  
  
  
  
"Oh, what now? Where are we going?" Seth practically shouted, throwing his hands up in the air.  
  
  
  
Chino." Maxwell said softly.  
  
~*~  
  
  
  
"Let me guess, Ryan never left Chino and is now a member of a gang." Seth said spitefully.  
  
  
  
"Well, he never left Chino." Maxwell said, looking a little nervous.  
  
  
  
"So…where is he?"  
  
  
  
"This is going to be difficult to see, Seth."  
  
  
  
"Oh, like the rest of tonight's been a freaking walk in the park? Where's Ryan?" Seth grabbed Maxwell's collar, getting suddenly very, very angry at this small, nebbish man.   
  
  
  
"Look where you are."   
  
  
  
Seth looked around and saw that they were in a crumbling, unkempt cemetery.   
  
  
  
"Why are we here?" Seth could barely find his voice.  
  
  
  
"You wanted to know where you could find Ryan. Let's just say he's not going anywhere."   
  
  
  
Seth barely heard Maxwell as he turned around to see the nearest grave. It read:  
  
RYAN ATWOOD, BELOVED SON AND BROTHER  
  
A YOUNG LIFE LOST TOO SOON  
  
  
  
Seth felt like he couldn't breathe.  
  
  
  
"He died in a fight with someone his brother owed money. You were never there to convince your family to save him. He was stabbed and hit with a baseball bat until all his ribs were broken and his right lung was punctured. He died almost instantly…they left him in an alley for three days until his mother started wondering where he was. He didn't even have a funeral…she couldn't afford it."  
  
  
  
"NO! NO! Ryan can't be dead!" Seth finally did start crying then, leaning his forehead against the tombstone, refusing to believe it.  
  
  
  
"Don't you see, Seth? One life touches so many in ways you'd never even imagine. You've saved so many people in so many different ways…can't you see it?" Maxwell put his hand on Seth's shoulder.  
  
"Seth Cohen, you really have had a wonderful life."  
  
  
  
Seth looked up at him, his face streaked with tears.  
  
  
  
"Maxwell…please. I want to live again."   
  
He leaned his head back against the tombstone.  
  
  
  
"Dear God, please, I want to live again. I want my life back. I want it back. Please." Seth's voice choked on the last word, as he started to cry again.  
  
  
  
Suddenly, a chilling wind swept over him. When the wind finally slowed and he could raise his head, he was back in his room, sprawled out on his bed. His posters on the wall. His dirty clothes on the floor. His Death Cab for Cutie CD playing in the background. He leaped off the bed, screaming in delight. He barreled out of the door, and saw his dad at the bottom of the stairs.   
  
  
  
"DAD!" He shouted, sliding down the banister and nearly knocking his dad over he hugged him so hard.  
  
  
  
"Hey, Seth! Wow!" His dad laughed, hugging him back.  
  
  
  
"Where's mom?"  
  
  
  
"She'll be back in an hour, she just called me from the airport."  
  
  
  
Seth just looked at him for a moment.  
  
  
  
"I know, I know, I miss her too. It just doesn't feel like Chrismukkah without her."  
  
  
  
"Chrismukkah!" Seth hugged him again.  
  
  
  
"Seth, there's something you need to see. Come in the kitchen."  
  
  
  
Seth practically run into the kitchen to see Ryan and Marissa holding hands and smiling as an unfamiliar woman stood behind them.  
  
  
  
"Marissa! RYAN!" He grabbed both of them from their seats, enveloping them both in a tight group hug.  
  
  
  
"Seth, calm down, buddy!" Ryan laughed.  
  
  
  
"Marissa! My cheek's still bleeding! What do you know about that? Wait, are you not pissed at me anymore?" Seth said all in one breath.  
  
  
  
"No, I'm not mad. I'm sorry about last night. Wait until you hear the good news." She grinned at him, leaning into Ryan's arm happily.  
  
  
  
"What could get much better than this?" Seth smiled so widely his face hurt to see them all standing there.  
  
  
  
"How about the fact that I'm sticking around?" Ryan said, looking at the unfamiliar woman.  
  
  
  
She stepped forward, unable to stop smiling. Seth's glee was rather contagious.  
  
  
  
"My name's Ruth Williams, I'm from Child's Services. Your father called me, and despite my protests at coming out here on Christmas Day, he told me the whole story and I could hardly enjoy the holidays knowing about your situation and not doing anything about it. That wouldn't be very Christmas-y, now would it?"  
  
  
  
"So Ryan can stay?"  
  
  
  
"Well, I checked things out around here and I'd say your family's doing a pretty fantastic job with him. I'll send in my personal approval as soon as the post office opens, don't even worry about it. Have a very merry Christmas. I've got to get home- my daughter's bringing my first grandchild! God Bless all of you!" Ruth patted Seth on the arm, shook Sandy's hand, and left.   
  
  
  
"You too, Child's Service Lady!" Seth shouted after her, about to explode with happiness.  
  
  
  
"Seth, are you sure you're all right?"  
  
  
  
"Never better, dad." Seth sighed happily, but a thought suddenly hit him, "OH! Summer! I've got to go!"  
  
  
  
He checked his pocket, and felt her present there. It was back. That horrible nightmare was over.  
  
  
  
Seth almost ran into the front door he was moving so fast.  
  
  
  
"I'll be back when Mom's home! MERRY CHRISMUKKAH!" He shouted over his shoulder.  
  
~*~  
  
  
  
He reached Summer's front door, and rang the doorbell about twenty times before she answered. When she saw him, she sighed with her hands on her hips.  
  
  
  
"Cohen, I TOLD you I don't want to talk to yo-"  
  
  
  
He kissed her so hard she stumbled backwards slightly, but almost immediately, she kissed him back with fervent relief. When they finally pulled apart, Seth looked at her with breathless excitement.  
  
  
  
"Summer, I love you."  
  
  
  
"Wh-what did you say?"  
  
  
  
"I love you."   
  
  
  
"Are you serious? What about all that crazy stuff you said yesterday?"  
  
  
  
"I was scared yesterday. Scared of actually committing to someone when I never have before. But I'm not scared now. I love you so much."  
  
  
  
Summer looked like she didn't know quite how to react.   
  
  
  
"Summer? Thoughts?"  
  
  
  
She smiled at him, shaking her head.  
  
  
  
"Of course I love you, you idiot." She laughed, kissing him again.  
  
  
  
Seth broke the kiss after another long moment, both of them grinning like idiots and holding hands.  
  
  
  
"So, do you still want your Chrismukkah present?" Seth asked, feeling almost deliriously happy. Summer was his girlfriend. Summer LOVED him.  
  
  
  
"You know I never say no to presents. Come on inside, I'll go get yours."  
  
  
  
"Why don't I come with you?"   
  
  
  
"That won't make you 'uncomfortable' or whatever?" She looked at him, grinning.  
  
  
  
"Not even a little. Your room is awesome. And very tastefully decorated."  
  
  
  
"You know, Cohen, I think sometimes you just talk to hear yourself speak."  
  
  
  
"Sometimes I do, babe. Sometimes I do."  
  
~*~  
  
  
  
Seth and Summer arrived back at the Cohen house just as Kirsten was pulling up in the driveway.  
  
  
  
"MOM!" Seth freaked out again, and nearly tackled his mom as well.  
  
  
  
"Nice to feel welcome. Hi, Summer." Kirsten laughed, looking at Seth with a mix of happiness and confusion.  
  
  
  
"Hey, Mrs. Cohen." Summer smiled.  
  
  
  
"Seth, what are you wearing?"  
  
  
  
"It's my Chrismukkah present from Summer."  
  
  
  
"A Legion shirt?"  
  
  
  
"Autographed by the creator, mother. My beautiful, amazing girlfriend actually went to a comic book convention for me."  
  
  
  
Kirsten looked at Summer, laughing.  
  
  
  
"Wow, honey, that's love."  
  
  
  
"Well, Seth didn't do so badly in the gift giving department either." Summer held up the silver necklace she was now wearing. It had a small heart pendant with an engraved inscription on the back.   
  
  
  
"S and S. For Seth and Summer." Summer said proudly, interlacing her fingers with Seth's.  
  
  
  
"That is almost illegally sweet." Kirsten put her arm over Seth's shoulder proudly.  
  
  
  
"Glad you approve, mom. Let's go inside-it's almost time for Chrismukkah Chinese takeout!" Seth was in such high spirits he considered skipping.  
  
  
  
"Simmer down, Cohen." Summer rolled her eyes.  
  
  
  
"Not today, baby! I'm flying high! HAPPY CHRISMUKKAH EVERYONE!" Seth shouted, putting his arms over his mother and Summer's shoulders as they walked into the house where Ryan, Marissa, and Sandy were waiting for them.  
  
~*~  
  
THE END  
  
A/N- Hope ya'll enjoyed! Please leave me a nice, long review! Happy holidays everyone! Hope you all had a great Christmas(or Chrismukkah)day! 


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